San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-07-16

] lldil httu s,Nllt NllN'tnA hll llhNls
DEAR MIR STRETroN. This hotel is
comfortable bat expensive; sON shall have
left IL before you call. Do not disturb your
self about me; ltmnst have worked some
where, and am as likely to lind work to my
mind here as In England whittier | shall re-
| turn only as a last resource. The one thing
| cannot face with equanimty is an unnec-
| eSsaTy obligation. TO avoid therefore con-
! test in which you might very probably win,
! write instead Of saying my thanks for the
numbeTless kindnesses have received a.
your hands. Hoping we shall meet again
some day, Il am SINCERELY yours, =,
MAY SONERs."
| spent that week In vain search for Mrs.
SOmers, and then went westward. cannot
say that was anxious about her; but with
out her life was tasteleSs-fOr me there was
neither past nor future, everything was
merged in the six weeks had spent at her
side.
My work left me little time for meditation;
at rare intervals my solitude was broken by
a visit to or from my sister, when we talked
| of little but the prospects Of her children.
| On one of these occasions she told me, with
tears in her eyes, that she was going TO mar
| Ty again. She murmured something about
| Providence and duty to her children forbid
ding her to hesitate.
You've no objection, Mark%'
None" | replied, but that you make
such an exceedingly pretty widow"
"Oh," exclaimed Emily warmly, ~
couldn't wear the dress more than a few
months longer! 1t is better as 1t is"
| And, on hearing the name of my future
brOther-in-law, | agreed with her. Once
more Emily would have money and care and
the luxury her soul loved.
For the children's sake there will be no
unnecessary delay. 1 suppose, Mark, It's of
no use searching for your lost gOyernessg'
mo-" | answered shortly; by this time
she has doubtless followed your excellent
example"
MARK, why are you so bitter? Why
shouldn't woman marry twice? You're rs
romantic as a schoolgirl; the love you dream
| of, where heart and soul and intellect are
| alike satisfied, is q very rare thing. The
nearest approach to it is a passion that
blends all three and doesn't last. Modify
| your demands"
'Did make any?" | asked, thinking of
| the extreme mOdesty of the demands made
to the woman loved.
Not long after this conversation l was
called TO the city to witness settlements and
assist at a very quiet wedding.
Six months later, Emily, having returned
| from her bridal trip, was again presiding
over one of the gayest houses in the town,
| the only difference between the old life and
| the new being that my brOther-in-law was
now called, Frederic, instead of Tom. On
| my rare visits to them, | used to plead in
vain for quiet evening, the women being
invariably the same. So | used to wander
aimleSSly about the well-filled rooms, look
ing like the weddingguest in the Ancient
Mariner" / had dropped Oat Of this kind of
society, and the whole thing bOEed me mex
preSSibly.
Mark" said Emily sOlemnly, ave tried
you with matrOn and maid till I'm tired"
TRY widow" suggested my brother-in-
law.
"Hushp' said Emily. when this song is
over Mrs. SOmers is going to play Oh, the
bother I've had to get her here! She will
cost me more than all these people are
worth"
She turned away, and l followed her,
reaching the MUSHROOM just in time to see
Mrs. SOmerS-my Mrs. SOmerS seat her.
self at the piano. HandSOmcr than ever and
admirably dressed She played divnely, but
/ think the men ut least looked rather than
listened. When it was over she rose to 20,
excusing herself to Emily, who would have
detained her.
81 travel by the night train, as l have an
engagement in BentOwn tomorrow" said
the voice / so well remembered.
l saw my brOthCr-in. law offer his arm,
| then | rushed upstairs, changed my clothes,
and reached the railway station in time to
see mistress and maid arTive-the maid
sleepy and cross, the mistress capable and
alert as usualH Together they entered q car
rage and prepared to seek another; for,
| now that | knew her whereabouts, l cared
little whether my fate was decided then or
| later; besides, the maid was an insuperable
obstacle. was moving off, when l heard
| Mrs. SOmerS eXclaim-
Morris, my bag~
Heaven forgive me for enjoying the wild
search that followed! Finally, Morris again
stepped on to the platform with orders to re-
turn to the hotel and follow her mistress by
the next train. In a second | was in her
vacated place, and the train moved off.
This carriage is reserved" said Mrs.
SOmers.
81 am very glad to hear IT," | responded;
''you will have time to explain why you re-
fused from me the help you might have
taken from any stranger who knew the cod
Ouy. would not have worried you with
my love; that is now as it was then-yOurs
to take or leave as you think III"
She dropped her hands from her face,
| whittier they had gone at the first sound of
my voice, and looked me steadily in the eyes.
Look as long as she would she could read
there nothing but an honest passion for her
self.
at was because / would so willingly have
taken what you offered that | judged we
were better apart for time" she murmured
Quick as | was, before | could take advan-
tage of her admission, the mOmentary soft
uess was gone.
"Sit where you are" she went on;t ;You
have good deal to hear yet"
Obeyed with what grace and patience l
might.
"TO burden yourself with a wife when all
your thought and energy were wanted TO
make a fresh start would have been mad
ness. In few weeks | should have been
numbered among your other anXieties. l
cared for you even then too much TO run
such a risk. Some day will tell you how
much money had left when | obtained my
first engagement. Madame Mendoza fell i'll
very suddenly, and took her place, with
what result you see. From that time things
have gone very easily with me-"
But up to that tIfne?''
up to that time? We will not talk Of 1t"
she replied. at is over"
Again my comment was interrupted by an
abrupt movement on her part-my lips only
brushed her cheeks; but even that was
enough to arouse my retrospective jealousy.
II wish to Heaven had come first In your
| lifep' / exclaimed.
She laughed; something bright was held
for a second close tO nv pVps-the next IL